Hate new job and feel overwhelmed

Question

I was hired at this company about 4 month ago as a junior software engineer.

Originally I came from a background in physics and also worked as such for years, but I wanted to switch careers. So I studied software engineering besides work and halfway through my studies I applied for several position, also for my current position. The company accepted and I started working there.

Right from the beginning I was completely overwhelmed, but I survived somehow. There was no training phase and I was almost immediately in production. Now I am working since 5 weeks on a big project, completely on my own with very unclear specifications. I have to design a new software component for their main product. I also have to coordinate with other teams, which are building plugins for that.

The problem is that I have zero idea how I am supposed to finish this task in finite time. It is just too big for me. And there is almost no help or support. I told my thoughts to my boss. He tried to calm me down and said that he knew anyway that I do not have much experience with it. But nothing changes! Unfortunately he also has no clear vision how this should look like. It should just work.

Currently I have to wait for the work of another team that I need to advance so I have nothing to do in the mean time. Which stresses me even more. On top of it, I have an all-in contract there. In the first month I had made additional 30 hours.

I am feeling so much pressure and I am worried that I will never complete this task in any time. Furthermore I really hate going there every morning, but my hope is that this situation will relax in the future with some time and experience. I am seriously thinking about leaving , but I am not sure if i am overreacting.

Am I freaking out too much or are my concerns justified?

Answer 1

Am I freaking out too much or are my concerns justified?

You are still new. You need to give it more time.

We all go through a similar phase in a new career. I know I did - several times with several careers.

Give it more time. Do your best. Keep asking your boss for guidance.

my hope is that this situation will relax in the future with some time and experience.

It almost certainly will.

Answer 2

In the region where I work it’s a common concept that a new hire will not be productive until six months into the job. And junior devs are not expected to deliver as fast as senior devs. You need to cut yourself some slack, especially since your boss seems ok with the situation.

As for the job in general. As a dev I constantly find myself with tasks that I’m not sure how to implement. The learning is life long. And just as I finally get comfortable, technology changes. It’s part of the job to navigate uncertainty and change.

Discuss with colleagues or friends in the industry. Read articles. Read and understand other code. Study not just coding but software architecture. Investigate multiple ways to solve a problem, and think about how they fit in the company where you work.

Structure your investigations at work, making formal space in the schedule. If you work agile, make proper tickets documenting what will be investigated and how much time will be spent.

Finally, you need work life balance. To be a good problem solver, you need rest. Don’t do massive overtime. Focus at work, relax when you are off. This is especially important to avoid burnout.